The Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System (MHEDS) has a need for a Front Desk Associate. Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Administrative Duties

• Greets all patients and visitors as they enter the building.
• Answers incoming phone calls, screens and distributes phone calls, takes messages as necessary, troubleshoots problems and assists the caller accordingly.
• Checks patients in, confirms demographics and verifies insurance is accurate and current and/or insurance eligibility.
• Collects co-payments and documents them as appropriate.
• Checks-out patients and schedules follow-up appointments as appropriate.
• Schedules patients maintains communication with clinical staff to add patients with urgent medical concerns to the schedule.
• Maintains communication with clinical staff to inform patients if/when clinicians are delayed.
• Gathers and sends requested medical records for patients, insurances, and specialty providers.
• Assists other clinical staff in reviewing care gap lists and scheduling related appointments.
• Assists with in-clinic and external interpretation if multilingual.

Safety

• Adheres to safety, infection control, patient confidentiality, and related policies and procedures.

Company Values

• Ensures the six domains of healthcare quality are met during each patient visit: patient safety, effectiveness, patient-centered, timeliness, efficiency, and equity.
• Consistent with MHEDS’ values, treats all supervisors, co-workers, direct reports, patients, and any other internal or external person with respect and dignity.

Education and/or Experience

A high school diploma or GED is required. Proficient in computer processing, and general office skills. Ability and willingness to learn new tasks as required. Experience in a healthcare setting helpful but not required. Must be able to work effectively within a multicultural workforce environment.

Language Skills

Must be able to speak and write in English. Additional language capabilities are a plus.

Physical Demands

Normal medical/administrative office setting demands include lifting and carrying or delivering supplies that usually weigh less than 10 pounds, but may occasionally weigh 20-30 pounds, within the building. 

Work Environment

The office and clinical areas are well illuminated, climate controlled, indoor areas. Work involves some exposure to hazards typical to a medical office environment, including potential exposure to infectious diseases and blood borne pathogens, chemical exposures, fire, mechanical and electrical hazards. Protective clothing and equipment are provided and required to be worn in potential exposure situations.

About Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System (MHEDS)

MHEDS was established 50 years ago as a joint project of the Erie Diocesan Mission Office and the Erie Council of Churches to meet the health needs of African-American and Hispanic Farm Workers and other low-income individuals and their families. Refugee and immigrant health were added in the late 1990s. On January 1, 2019, MHEDS entered the Federally Qualified Health Center system as a Look-Alike.

Our service area is the City of Erie. Our mission is to enable all who wish to achieve complete mental, physical and social well-being by providing equitable, culturally sensitive, patient-centered health care, regardless of their ability to pay. MHEDS has a very diverse panel of patients: 35% are Asian, 29% Black/African American, 29% White, and the remainder mixed race. 6% are Latino/a. As an FQHC Look-Alike, MHEDS must comply with standards that ensure all patients have access to comprehensive health care services. We also offer health insurance enrollment, interpretation, and translation.

MHEDS expanded by opening a second site at the JFK Center in 2020. The second site allowed us to begin to offer women’s health and accommodation to serve more new arrivals. In late 2021, MHEDS began receiving Afghan refugees along with its anticipated arrivals. In early 2022 we began receiving Ukrainian refugees. Our anticipated 549 new patients became 1,010. This Federal Fiscal Year, we have been told to expect 750 refugees plus additional Afghans and an unknown number of Ukrainians. Eighty percent of MHEDS’ staff are hired from within the New American group, allowing us to be more aligned both linguistically and culturally with those we serve.